Coming up with Game Ideas - Ultimate Guide

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#1

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Welcome! :wave:
If you’re struggling to come up with game ideas or a well-endowed creator, you can benefit from these tips and make successful game ideas very easily! Just follow these simple tips & tricks and you’ll be able to formulate replayable and enjoyable game ideas within ten minutes!

We’ve all been there, worked incessantly for hours writing code or building for no reason. Its time to put your work in fruition! But… to what? The issue is every idea you have seems hackneyed. Here are my 5 parts to eliminating that problem.

Part 1: Realistic Goals :clap:
This one should be relatively self-explanatory. Know your goals. don’t set a high standard for yourself. If you’re going to make a game by yourself that isn’t a showcase you have to know a decent amount of scripting. I believe nobody can tell you how much work you’re capable of doing but yourself. don’t give yourself too much, reference what you’ve done in the past and your typical quitting point. (ex. no, you won’t make phantom forces by yourself in a month.)

Part 2: Tried and Tested :recycle:
The number one mistake I see is developers coming up with odd new ideas. It is very rare that you’ll become the pioneer of a new genre. If you want to do that refer to part 3. But I’d recommend go back to old games! If they blew up then they’ll blow up now! Honestly its amazing how many games you could fix up and smack an economy on and you’ll be front-page worthy. I have compiled a list of games that you could use as ideas. Many developers who make old games even refurbish them over the years to keep them up to date. For example, CrazyMan32’s “RO-Port Tycoon” that has 17.6M+ visits. CrazyMan32 has been updating the game for the last 11 years. If you have old games that did well, perhaps revisit the idea!

Old Game Examples for Ideas (all broken)

https://www.roblox.com/games/63209/Zeppelin-Battle

https://www.roblox.com/games/5310452/Galleons-v7-1

(Ultimate paintball has been remastered like 12 times, flawless.)
✪Ultimate Paintball - Roblox

Roller Coaster building game idea was remastered with modern technology

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Part 3: Honestly, Meditation :drooling_face: :thought_balloon:
If you are adamant about making your own unique idea, this is for you. This may sound crazy but if you go deep into thought and avoid distractions you’ll dream up some pretty wild ideas. Find a cozy spot in your house, I usually sit in my recliner. Make sure there isn’t any noise or light and close your eyes. It’s best not to do this while tired because you don’t want to fall asleep. Think about what you want this game to look like. Think about what works on the front page. Just think, I learned this trick from Dr. Nakamatsu. He has developed over 3,500 patents in his 91 years. He claims to have invented the digital watch, retractable landing gear, and even floppy disks! He attributes this all to his ability to dive deep into his brain for answers. Anyone can do it, I’ve certainly benefitted from it. I’d seriously recommend it.

Part 4: Analysis of What works :nerd_face:
Look at the front page, honestly study it. What I’ve noticed is a lot of these games have developers with extensive backgrounds in front page games. What do they know that we don’t? Finance for one. It is very hard to make your game get to the front page without advertisement. You can either hope it gets big in the community or force it into the community. The chances are it won’t get big in the community so you’re better off forcing it. Sponsor your games, advertise them. Make them look good. Game trailers are worth it! What game ideas on the front page get players? How did they come up with those ideas? How can I do something similar? You should be asking yourself these questions. If the front page delights you, you better be fit for it.

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Part 5: Teamwork makes the dream work! :busts_in_silhouette:
Ask your friends what kind of game they want to play. the average human has 86 billion neurons :brain:. If you double that you’ve got 172 billion. big numbers huh? Imagine the combined brain power of an entire friend group. I’m absolutely positive that after about twelve (depending on your friends) answers that make you question your sanity you’ll strike gold. Someone will blurt out an idea that leaves you thinking. If you pull a blank honestly just take one of their ideas and build off it. You are the developer here.

Bonus Part 6!!: Talk to others here! :call_me_hand:
Ask below for ideas or what the community thinks about your ideas. I’m not responsible if they steal your ideas so remember to keep it minimal.

RECAP

  • Set Realistic Goals
  • Remaster Old Retired Games
  • Search your mind through Meditation
  • Analyze what works
  • Ask your friends

Thanks so much for reading this, I hope this helped someone! :smile:

102 Likes
Overcoming Burnout
Hello guys i wanna be original and i dont have some game ideas can u help me?
Socialization, friends, and their limits - Various texts and tips
How do I think of a New Game Concept?
How can I come up with new game ideas?
#2

Def. Helps us! Thanks for this.

7 Likes
#3

Slightly off topic from the post but you did go on a bit of a tangent in post 4 so I would like to ask some questions about some of the points.

Do you have any stats to back this up, i am currently considering getting a trailer made for Backflip simulator however id love to know how it impacts ad / sponsor success and other factors statistically.

Also what would you advise in terms of growing a game from 500-1500 players to those 10-30k concurrent levels later on, while we are willing do dump a lot on ads, id love to know other effective methods of getting a game over that hurdle.

1 Like
#4

Unfortunately I’m on my phone right now but I’ll get back to you later on my computer for some stats. Game trailers are worth it by common sense. You spend 500 robux on a video to captivate the attention way more than a thumbnail. If a picture is a thousand words then a video is a million. Consider that the hook of an essay. Ads are well worth it because they spread the word much farther with less information. They are the main source of traffic for most new games. As far as making your games playerbase larger I’d have to see the replayability. Is the game fun to play? Do you play it? Do you think people are sharing it? At that point there should be a natural growth by the players you already have. the game needs to be more than a one time experience. Every case of growth is unique.

3 Likes
#5

It’s more cost effective if you lack the proper skillset or software to make a modernized trailer. Graphic designers are more affordable in comparison to animators or video editors due to over saturation.

Always remember that x amount of robux/USD invested into a project isn’t guaranteed to be compensated. Sacrifice only what you can afford to lose

#6

Honestly it’s gonna take you 20 minutes to learn windows movie maker and OBS is free

3 Likes
#10

I partially disagree with this statement. The children back in the day were not accustomed to such extravagance children are now. An uncountable amount of games are provided to children daily and regularly. Through a decade, many determined developers have recognized new children interests, and have actively developed techniques to maintain a decent quantity of retention and monetization. Such techniques were scarce and invisible decades back. Additionally, Roblox developers were rarely devoted in contrast to now. A few years back, only few developers developed for a currency or value.

This example could be considered a miniature genre, such as theme park and role play. If such a concept was never introduced in 2012, it would still have potential to make its Roblox debut today. Point is: this idea was never original, because theme parks are vastly visited throughout tourist sites. Additionally, this game idea’s simplicity and real-life popularity makes theme park and role play miniature categories.

On the contrary, if a game with complicated mechanics and unique concepts was introduced in 2012, it would be difficult to copy without maintaining healthy originality. If a simplistic idea was introduced decades back, it would be common for multiple developers to incorporate the genre and idea today. Examples: Hide and seek, theme parks, role plays.

You’ve got my like. Other than my complaints, I second all the points you’ve expressed. Impressive article that includes insightful tips.

cc @PurpSinister

This fact is fairly self-explanatory. Do whatever you can with your budget. If you can’t afford the service, you don’t get the service; as simple as that. Generally, posting obvious points as an argument is unreasonable. Please ensure that your arguments are structured and not just for the sake of arguing.

Proper argument etiquette:
https://devforum.roblox.com/t/guide-to-using-the-developer-forum/107263/11
Kindly do not argue for the sake of arguing. I’ve already answered your question - if you can’t afford the service, find an affordable alternative.

5 Likes
#11

Theres a lot more to what I said that I couldn’t fit in the post without it being too long. Theres just a pattern I’ve noticed of a lot of games that are purely based off old ideas. The games back then had core components for games that is much harder to pull off uniquely. They appeal to players, as shown by the player-base then. Its not that “children won’t like them, or children have new interests”. This is a post stating how to easily come up with these ideas. Developers can easily find old ideas that would work with the new additions that come with these childrens " new interests ". Basically, don’t make some bare bone baseplate with horrible scripts. Technology has advanced, add to it. Add stores, add currencies, add guns. Make the game rewarding and replayable. Like I said in the post

These games have good core ideas but you need to expand upon them, yes.

6 Likes
#12

Great Stuff! Appreciate it! :+1:

6 Likes
#13

This is a well-written post that is for sure! I will be using these tips when making my game! :slight_smile:

5 Likes